23,500 attend ITB China, as event drives global travel collaboration

ITB China 2026, the premier B2B travel trade show dedicated to the Chinese travel market, concluded on Thursday (May 28) at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center, recording a 20% year-on-year increase in net exhibition area. 

ITB China 2026 welcomed more than 23,500 attendees. A total of over 44,000 high-value business meetings were facilitated during the three-day event, highlighting China’s continued appeal and strong growth momentum in global travel industry cooperation. 

The event brought together more than 900 travel organisations and companies from 85 countries and regions, 1,700 hosted buyers, as well as 280 media representatives and KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders). Held alongside the exhibition, the ITB China Conference, featured more than 180 global industry speakers for in-depth discussions across over 70 forward-looking topics.

Global exhibitor line-up expands

Across its three days, ITB China 2026 achieved further growth in exhibition scale, international participation, buyer quality, conference content and on-site business exchanges. 

Travel organisations and companies from 85 countries and regions represented the full travel industry value chain, covering national tourism organisations and destination management organisations (NTOs/DMOs), DMCs, hotels and accommodation providers, OTAs, transport service providers, airlines, cruise companies, travel technology companies, attractions and experiences, themed and customised travel providers, insurance providers, and integrated travel services.

In terms of regional participation, exhibitors from Europe, Asia, the Americas and Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa all expanded further at this year’s show. 

Asia recorded the strongest growth, with participation increasing by 40% year-on-year. Malaysia brought a delegation of more than 60 companies and organisations, including Sarawak and Malaysia Airlines, while Türkiye recorded a 93% increase in exhibition scale and presented nearly 40 travel companies and organisations, covering key regions and cities such as Cappadocia and Trabzon. 

The Americas and Caribbean region grew by 26% year-on-year, with countries, city destinations and related travel resources from Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Colombia, the Bahamas, Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba, Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Los Angeles, California, reflecting the region’s continued efforts to expand engagement with the Chinese market. Europe recorded 20% year-on-year growth, with Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain all increasing their exhibition space. 

Destination promotion organisations from 29 European countries, including Malta, Cyprus, Austria, Hungary, Finland and Romania, together with the European Travel Commission, further strengthened the overall presentation of European tourism resources. Africa grew by 11% year-on-year, with the national tourism boards of Morocco, Egypt, South Africa and Côte d’Ivoire, as well as Ethiopian Airlines Group, taking part in the show. The Middle East was represented by key destinations and companies including Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Emirates, showcasing the region’s high-quality tourism resources and global connectivity.

The growth of upstream and downstream resources across the travel industry value chain provided Chinese travel buyers with a wider range of global travel products, destination resources and cooperation opportunities.

High-quality buyers and business meetings 

ITB China 2026 welcomed 1,700 hosted buyers, including Chinese outbound travel buyers from all 31 provincial-level regions across mainland China, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Among them, 34% focused on customised travel, themed travel and high-end travel, while 25% were dedicated to the MICE and business travel market, reflecting the continued growth of mid- to high-end and specialised purchasing needs. Overseas buyers came from 27 countries and regions, accounting for 10% of the total buyer base. Over the course of the three-day show, buyers and more than 900 exhibitors engaged in high-density business exchanges, generating over 44,000 business meetings.

Business and technical discussions 

Irakli Nadareishvili, Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, said: “This is the second year that Georgia is participating in ITB China, but this year is especially significant because Georgia is the Partner Destination of ITB China, which provides a broader platform and greater opportunities for our country. We will definitely participate in ITB China again next year, and we look forward to seeing you here in Shanghai for ITB China 2027.”

Chen Tiejun, General Director of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Radio, Television and Sports of Hainan Province, said: “ITB China is a highly influential event. We are very pleased to take this opportunity through the ITB China platform to extend our sincere greetings to travel trade partners from around the world, and to build extensive connections with global travel operators.”

Amr Mohamed Adway Mohamed Elashmawy, Vice President Commercial of EgyptAir, said: “Every year, I see more buyers attending ITB China, creating excellent networking opportunities and offering valuable chances for airlines, hotels, and cruise companies to connect, get to know each other, and exchange experiences. All the major players are present at ITB China, which makes participation extremely important for us as we continue strengthening our position in the Chinese travel market.”

ITB China Conference 2026

As the show’s key industry think tank, the ITB China Conference 2026 addressed key topics shaping the Chinese travel market and global tourism development. It brought together more than 180 senior representatives, corporate procurement leaders and industry experts from tourism boards, airlines, hotel groups, travel companies, agencies, and procurement leaders. The conference covered eight core segments: the Sino-EU Tourism Dialogue, China Outbound Travel, China Inbound Tourism, Luxury Travel, Themed & Customised Travel, Hotel & Accommodation, MICE, and Travel Tech Innovation, with in-depth exchanges across more than 70 industry topics.

ITB China conference and panels

The Sino-EU Tourism Dialogue focused on the strategic direction and practical pathways for two-way tourism cooperation between China and Europe. The China Outbound Travel segment explored changing traveller profiles, AI applications and the global expansion of Chinese travel companies. The China Inbound Tourism segment examined the new appeal of “China Travel”, differences across international source markets and approaches to destination content. The Luxury Travel segment highlighted experience upgrades driven by cross-sector integration with art, culture, fashion and wellness. The Themed & Customised Travel segment covered specialised demand across educational travel, sports, events and festivals, cruise, adventure, medical wellness, gastronomy and customised travel. The Hotel & Accommodation segment discussed branded content, the development of non-standard accommodation, and how sustainability and ESG can translate into business value. The MICE segment focused on China’s outbound MICE market, evolving corporate travel demand and high-value business travellers. The Travel Tech Innovation segment demonstrated how technology applications are reshaping key parts of the travel industry value chain through business transformation and scenario-based implementation. The three-day conference provided participants with forward-looking industry reference points for understanding changes in China’s travel industry and global tourism cooperation trends.

ITB China 2026 networking events

Throughout the three-day event, ITB China 2026 created a wide range of face-to-face networking opportunities for exhibitors, buyers, trade visitors, partners, industry speakers and media representatives. These activities extended the show experience beyond business meetings, supporting industry connections, destination showcases and cross-sector cooperation.

A series of high-quality business networking events also took place during the show, including C-Talks, Malaysian Night, Germany Networking Luncheon, Zhejiang Night, the CIMX Midday Mixer, the Global Travel Operators Luncheon Networking Hainan Session, the Petal Ads Workshop Lunch-"AI Reimagining Travel: End-to-End Destination Marketing Innovation", the Travel Innovation Business Matching, the Chinese Destination Marketing Workshop, and the Moroccan Sundowner Experience.

Among them, the Chinese Destination Marketing Workshop gathered leaders from culture and tourism authorities across Chinese provinces and cities, key overseas buyers and institutional representatives for in-depth discussions and targeted matchmaking around efficient overseas marketing strategies for Chinese destinations, best practices in international cooperation, and product innovation aligned with global market demand. Travel Innovation Business Matching focused on technology development, scenario adaptation and commercial implementation, further connecting travel technology companies with destinations, culture and tourism groups, hotels and investment institutions.

Lydia Li, Deputy General Manager of Messe Berlin (China) said: “ITB China 2026 once again demonstrated China’s important position in the global travel industry. This year’s show brought together a broader range of international and national exhibitors and higher-quality buyers. Through conference sessions, matchmaking, and diverse networking events, it also enabled global travel professionals to engage in deeper exchanges on evolving market needs. From the upgrading of outbound travel products and international cooperation in inbound travel to the accelerated development of travel technology, MICE, luxury travel and other themed segments, ITB China continues to connect China with the world and create long-term value for the industry.”

ITB China 2027 - 10th Anniversary event

ITB China 2027 will take place from May 25 to 27. As ITB China marks ten years of working alongside global travel partners, next year’s edition will feature even more on-site highlights, industry exchanges and cooperation opportunities, further strengthening two-way connection between China and the global travel market. Exhibitors can reserve their space here and plan for their China market development next years. Exhibitors who register before 30 June 2026 will receive an early bird discount of 10%.

ITB India

With ITB China now successfully concluded, the travel industry’s focus is shifting to ITB India. The fourth edition of ITB India will be held from September 1 to 3 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India. As a three-day business-to-business travel and tourism trade show, the event is designed to showcase the diverse segments and opportunities within the Indian travel market. - TradeArabia News Service